Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Nordholz, Germany:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Nordholz Naval Airbase (FCN), Nordholz, Germany would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,413 miles (or 7,102 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Des Moines International Airport and Nordholz Naval Airbase, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Des Moines International Airport and Nordholz Naval Airbase. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):

• In addition to work inside the passenger terminal, the airport is building a rental car facility and new parking facilities.
• Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
• The Des Moines Terminal has 2 concourses.
• The furthest airport from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,789 miles (17,363 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• On March 13, 2008, an Atlanta-bound ASA flight was delayed more than five hours when a mouse was discovered shortly before take-off from DSM.
• The closest airport to Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNE of DSM.
• This airport is in in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which called it a primary commercial service airport.
• Because of Des Moines International Airport's relatively low elevation of 958 feet, planes can take off or land at Des Moines International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• In 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority.

Facts about Nordholz Naval Airbase (FCN):

• Immediately north of the base is the grass runway of Spieka recreational airfield.
• Nordholz Naval Airbase is one of the oldest airports in Germany, dating to 17 December 1912.
• MFG 3 was left as the only unit at Nordholz, when the final two Noratlas of "Passon" left the airbase in 1981.
• Its aircraft fly predominantly over the North Sea on antisubmarine patrols.
• Nordholz Naval Airbase (FCN) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Nordholz Naval Airbase (FCN) is Bremerhaven Airport (BRV), which is located only 18 miles (30 kilometers) S of FCN.
• Out of the 20 Atlantics, five were converted during 1969 and 1970 into SIGINT aircraft, specialised in electronic reconnaissance of hostile radar systems and communications of what used to be the Eastern Bloc.
• Flying returned to Nordholz in 1938, when the Luftwaffe decided to rebuild the airfield.
• Because of Nordholz Naval Airbase's relatively low elevation of 74 feet, planes can take off or land at Nordholz Naval Airbase at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• In addition to being known as "Nordholz Naval Airbase", another name for FCN is "(Advanced Landing Ground R-56)".
• The furthest airport from Nordholz Naval Airbase (FCN) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,711 miles (18,847 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.